pretickt

Is WAT a good stock to buy?

Waters Corporation · end-of-day data as of Nov 13, 2026

Waters
WAT · $45.24B
$460.25-0.4%
Nov 13, 2026 · close
$400$450SepOctNov9:3016:003 months +14.7%Nov 13 · close
▲ 3
  • ConsensusBuy · 24
  • MAs3 of 4
  • Sector▲ +15.9%
Neutral
  • Earnings in87d
  • P/E197.5x
  • RSI53
  • Support-3.0%
  • Off 52w high-4.8%
  • Volume0.5x
  • Bollingerlower half
  • News0.00
  • FCF yield+0.6%
  • PT$461.47 +0.3%
  • Trendsideways
  • 52w range$283–$483
  • ATR+3.3%
  • Off ATH-4.8%
  • InsidersNone in 90d
▼ 3
  • P/E vs own+125.1%
  • P/E vs sector+513.2%
  • MACD-1.23

Updates with the 15-min delayed price. Not a forecast or investment advice.

Is Waters a good stock to buy?

Waters is strong on 3 of the 5 questions about the business; weak on advantage. The price is high: 197.5 times its earnings, above its 3-year median of 33.9 (Nov 13, 2026). pretickt does not say whether to buy or sell.

  1. Demand steady
  2. Advantage easy to copy
  3. Economics profits growing
  4. Execution delivers
  5. Fragility sturdy
  6. Price expensive
DemandDo people want more of what it sells?steady

WAT sales growth revenue growth

+2%a year, for the last 3 years

Waters' sales grew 2% a year for 3 years, to $3.17B in fiscal 2025.

WAT analysts' forecast revenue estimates

+105%the sales they expect next fiscal year, on the last

Analysts expect Waters' sales to grow 105% to $6.49B in fiscal 2026 (16 analysts).

WAT competitors

pretickt analysis+81%its sales in 12 months, on a year before

Waters' sales grew 81% in the 12 months to Oct 3, 2026, faster than Natera (+37%), Idexx Laboratories (+12%), IQVIA (+9%) and Agilent (+9%).

WAT sales by business revenue by segment

35%of its sales from Waters Instrument Systems

Waters Instrument Systems brought Waters 35% of its sales in fiscal 2025; Waters Service 34%.

Advantage moatIs it hard to copy?easy to copy

WAT margin on each sale gross margin

49%left after making the product

Waters kept 49% of each sale after making the product in the 12 months to Oct 3, 2026; its competitors' median is 58%.

EconomicsDoes it make good money?profits growing

WAT cash generated free cash flow

$292Mcash left after investing, last 12 months

Waters generated $292M of free cash flow in the 12 months to Oct 3, 2026, more than its reported profit.

WAT profit per share

+1%in its last fiscal year

Waters' earnings per share grew 1% in fiscal 2025, to $10.77.

ExecutionDoes it deliver what it promises?delivers

WAT earnings vs estimates

8 of 8quarters above the analysts' estimate

Waters beat the analysts' profit estimate in each of its last 8 quarters, the latest on Nov 3, 2026.

WAT insider selling

-$992Ksold, net, by its executives in 12 months

Waters' executives and directors sold a net $992K of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026 ($1.44M sold, $451K bought).

WAT number of employees

+4%more people in a year

Waters had 7,900 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, 4% more than a year before.

WAT CEO pay

$13.97Mfor fiscal 2025, 75% of it in stock and options

Waters paid its CEO $13.97M for fiscal 2025, 75% of it in stock and options.

Fragility risksCould something break it?sturdy

WAT financial health Altman Z-score

4.1Altman Z-score, safe above 3

Waters' Altman Z-score is 4.1 (Nov 13, 2026), above 3, where the safe zone starts.

WAT biggest customers

under 10%of sales from any one customer

No customer made 10% of Waters' sales in fiscal 2025.

WAT in past recessions

pretickt analysis-5%its sales in the worst one

Waters' sales fell in each of the last 2 US recessions, by as much as 5% in fiscal 2009.

Price valuationIs the price reasonable?expensive

WAT price vs profit P/E ratio

197.5×a year's earnings

Waters' P/E ratio is 197.5 (Nov 13, 2026), above its 3-year median of 33.9.

WAT price vs competitors

pretickt analysis197.5×a year's earnings, against its competitors

Investors pay 197.5 times Waters' earnings (Nov 13, 2026), more than for Idexx Laboratories (47.8), Agilent (34.2) or IQVIA (32.2).

WAT analysts' target price target

0%to their average target

Analysts' average price target for Waters is $461, 0% above the Nov 13, 2026 close of $460.25.

WAT analyst ratings, 90 days

pretickt analysis
  • Piper Sandlerupgrade
  • UBSupgrade
2 up, 0 downratings raised and cut

In the 90 days to Nov 13, 2026, Piper Sandler and UBS upgraded Waters.

WAT growth priced in fair value

pretickt analysis+35%a year, for ten years, to be worth the price

At $460.25 a share, Waters' free cash flow must grow about 35% a year for ten years to be worth the price (Nov 13, 2026).

What is Waters' P/E ratio?

Waters' P/E ratio is 197.5 (Nov 13, 2026), above its 3-year median of 33.9. Investors pay 197.5 times Waters' earnings (Nov 13, 2026), more than for Idexx Laboratories (47.8), Agilent (34.2) or IQVIA (32.2).

Who are Waters' biggest competitors?

pretickt compares Waters with Natera, IQVIA, Agilent and Idexx Laboratories. Waters' sales grew 81% in the 12 months to Oct 3, 2026, faster than Natera (+37%), Idexx Laboratories (+12%), IQVIA (+9%) and Agilent (+9%).

Are insiders selling Waters stock?

Waters' executives and directors sold a net $992K of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026 ($1.44M sold, $451K bought).

How does Waters make money?

Waters Instrument Systems brought Waters 35% of its sales in fiscal 2025; Waters Service 34%.

How many employees does Waters have?

Waters had 7,900 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, 4% more than a year before.

Who are Waters' biggest customers?

No customer made 10% of Waters' sales in fiscal 2025.

From the companies' statements (FMP), their filings read by pretickt, the analysts and the insiders, as of Nov 13, 2026. Each card says what a fact means for its question, never what to do with the stock: for information only, not investment advice.